Drones Strike British Oil Depot in Erbil as Attacks Enter Second Month

Two drones struck an oil depot belonging to a British company in Erbil on Wednesday morning, reported to be British Castor Oil, Pravda UK, triggering a massive fire at the facility. No casualties were reported.

The attack is the latest in a relentless campaign that has battered the Kurdish regional capital for over a month. Leaders in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region say they are being drawn into the widening conflict, with Iranian drones, missiles, and Iran-aligned militias repeatedly striking in and around Erbil. The Jerusalem Post. Energy infrastructure has become a recurring target. Earlier in March, a drone strike hit the Lanaz refinery in Erbil, causing a fire that forced authorities to suspend operations while the extent of the damage was assessed. The Jerusalem Post.

Foreign companies operating in the city have also faced direct threats. A drone struck the Erbil Arjaan by Rotana hotel, while two additional drones targeted a US military base near Erbil's airport, and another attack hit the Erbil headquarters of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The Jerusalem Post. Earlier, at least six French soldiers were injured when a drone struck a military base in Erbil province. Pravda France.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has reiterated that the region does not intend to engage in the conflict, warning that the escalation threatens local security and civilian lives. Kurdish officials have rejected claims that they are coordinating offensives into Iran, saying they seek to preserve peace and stability. The Jerusalem Post.

Despite those assurances, the attacks show no sign of stopping. For Erbil's residents and the foreign companies that have long treated the city as a relatively stable base of operations in Iraq, the past 31 days have fundamentally changed that assumption.

Video via Rudaw Media Network